Olsen, whose much-praised performance in the harrowing psychological drama Martha Marcy May Marlene has helped make her one of Hollywood's most in-demand young actors, will play a caseworker charged with investigating the past of the film's central figure, played by Josh Brolin. Brolin plays a man who is kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years before being inexplicably released.

There have been heavy hints that Lee's version will plough an alternate furrow to the original film, with a different though not necessarily less controversial denouement. "The ending will be something that the audiences will all be … especially the fans of the original, will be very happy with," producer Roy Lee told Collider last year. "In fact, some may consider it to be a bit darker."

I Am Legend's Mark Protosevich has written the screenplay and will also take a producer's role for the remake, which was once pitched as a project for Will Smith and Steve Spielberg.